The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has appealed to the Federal Government to develop a national cybersecurity strategy and regulatory framework to protect the country’s cyberspace.
The President of NCS, Prof. Adeshina Sodiya, said this during the three-day cyber security forum and workshop in Abuja.
He said the initiative must be a multi-stakeholders’ approach, including paying close attention to the construction of incident response capacities in all sectors.
“As a nation, we are not as developed in the area of cybersecurity like other developed countries where they meet twice a month to strategise and also update.
“Any nation that is not talking or coming up with strategies on how to protect or manage the digital infrastructure is not safe.
“Many organisations and individuals not only in Nigeria are moving their activities online, people want to be sure they are safe to transact and conduct their activities where they are not monitored,” Sodiya said.
He noted that many Nigerians had been victims of cybercrimes, adding that cybercrimes would be on the increase when the digital economy was fully implemented in the country, as there were three levels of cyber-attacks, “confidentiality, integrity and availability”.
He, however, said cybercrime could be committed in any part of the world not necessarily in Nigeria, adding that there was a need to protect the digital infrastructure.
Any nation that is not talking or coming up with strategies on how to protect or manage the digital infrastructure is not safe.
Sodiya explained that the forum aims to address the current situation and proffer possible solutions on cyber security to be on the same page with other developed countries.
The Chairman, African Union Cyber security Expert Group, Abdulhakeem Ajijola, stressed the need for more capacity building in cyber security and improvement in awareness as the common man was becoming digitalised.
“We need to improve governance mechanisms and make sure we adhere to the right kind of standards. We need to make sure the policies already articulated are more thoroughly implemented in the various sectors.
“Governments cannot act alone, and the participation of the technical community and the private sector as well as the civil societies are essential to building effective resilience capabilities,” he said.
The Director, Intelligence Strategic Data Mining and Analysis Development of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Kola Okunola, urged youths to leverage the positive opportunities in cyberspace and improve their field of studies as well as engage in courses and free training online.
Okunola commended NCS on their efforts to come up with the forum, saying there was a need to have an enabling environment for the younger generation to thrive. (NAN)
